Public Safety

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Become a Police Officer?

Answer: Most Departments have a process that governs how they hire police officers. The Sedalia Police Personnel Board has a process for hiring new persons to become officers. To be a police officer, applicants must be at least 21 years of age with no felony convictions. In addition, they should not have any significant traffic convictions that would limit their ability to be insured by the City of Sedalia.

Is There Training Available to Become a Police Officer?

Answer: To be a police officer in the State of Missouri, a person must be certified under the Peace Officers Standards and Training Act. There are various academies located throughout the State that specialize in this training. In Missouri, many of these academies are located on university campuses. Currently, most of these academies teach the 470 or 600 hour courses. In larger cities, a higher number of hours is required for certification.

What are the Minimum Number of Hours that Sedalia Requires to be an Officer?

Answer: The Sedalia Police Department requires a minimum of 470 hours of Missouri P.O.S.T. Certification to be an officer in Sedalia for those who have been previously certified. If an applicant is graduating from a certified academy, the minimum is 470 hours.

How Do I Make a Complaint to the Police?

Answer: The Department handles all types of complaints from individuals. For non-emergency calls, contact (660) 826-8100. From the information that is provided, a decision is made whether the call needs a simple response by the Police Department or a physical report of the incident for follow-up purposes. Normal calls about vehicles inappropriately parking may be handled by a simple response while a burglary would require a written report.

What Should I Do if I am Calling about an Emergency?

Answer: If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1. This is an emergency line that is dedicated for this type of service. If possible, remain calm and give as much information as is safely possible to the 9-1-1 operator. The more detailed and accurate the information you provide, the faster the appropriate emergency responders will be able to reach and assist you.

What Happens After I File a Written Report about an Incident?

Answer: The Department reviews each report written to ascertain whether there is sufficient information to conduct a follow-up investigation. If there is information that is available for a case solution, the case is transferred to the Criminal Investigations Bureau for further action. During this process, a Detective will contact you to see if you have any additional information that would be helpful to the investigation. Twenty days after the case is assigned, if there is no probable case solution, the case is marked as inactive until further information develops.

Why Do I See the Police at Stationary Locations?

Answer: Part of patrol work is observation. From a stationary location, the officer may be running radar, surveying traffic problems, watching for known criminal behavior or looking for additional information such as suspects or vehicles on a complaint that they are responding to.

How Do I get My Property Returned?

Answer: All property that is taken into custody by the Department is inventoried into the property section of the Department. It is then held until the Prosecuting Attorney determines whether a criminal case will be filed. If a case is filed, the property is held until released by the Prosecutor's Office. If a case is not filed, the property can be returned to its rightful owner. The Property Unit is the only unit authorized to return property. If you have property to be returned, please call (660) 827-7823, Ext 1225, and make arrangements. Property can be returned Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

How Do I get a Copy of the Report that I Filed?

Answer: Reports of all calls for service, including written reports, are available at the Records Unit in the Sedalia Police Department. If you would like a copy of a report, please call (660) 827-7823, Extensions 1207, 1208 or 1209. A $2.00 fee is charged for a copy of a general or accident report, $3.00 for a faxed copy. See the fee schedule for additional pages or research, Sec 2-809. Staff is available to answer your request Mon– Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.